J & S Franklin Ltd2015-07-29 23:30:00

J&S Franklin target Middle East airports

With two key UK airports already protected by Defencell Profile, J&S Franklin is looking to build on its success, particularly in the Middle East, where sales manager Jeremy Milton says talks are ongoing, with potential customers in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Public places like airports are incredibly vulnerable to vehicle borne improvised explosive devices (VBIED's), one of terrorists most devastating weapons.

DefenCell is already widely deployed protecting airports like Gatwick and Belfast as well as military and government establishments worldwide, including some in the Middle East.

Jeremy goes on to say that "Profile 300 is especially suited for inconspicuous deployment at public buildings such as airports and other critical infrastructure, particularly in environmentally and visually sensitive locations where it can be easily grassed or planted, and quickly blends into the surroundings whilst still providing proven protection from terrorist attack and environmental threats."

Defencell is a cellular, polypropylene geo-textile containment system or container, which when looked at from above gives it a honeycombed appearance. It is this cellular design and specialised material that gives it its strength and flexibility. The cells can be filled with a variety of locally sourced materials such as soil, sand, gravel or small rocks, to build a wide variety of structures for perimeter security protection. The cellular system means that any impact is dissipated along the length of the barrier rather than at the point of impact, unlike concrete which is forced backwards. This means that the barrier is able to stop an 18.5-tonne truck travelling at 40 mph (64 km/h). It also has very good blast mitigation properties to protect against car bombs and VBIED's.

It is incredibly quick and easy to erect and requires little training. With a standard mechanical digger and compacting tools 30 to 50 m of protective barrier can be erected in a single day. That makes it ideal for emergency barriers in times of heightened security, which can then be easily dismantled once the security threat has passed.

Defencell containers are able to be stacked to create walls, barriers or berms, which can stay in place for 20-30 years with minimal maintenance or pulled down and recycled cheaply and quickly.

Defencell has a number of logistical advantages as well, a single standard pallet of DefenCell weighs less than 350kgs and provides sufficient units to build a 2 metre high wall more than 40 metres long, which means it can be easily stored locally in a warehouse or store room and deployed quickly by hand if necessary by airport staff.

Unlike many other barrier systems, DefenCell has multiple uses; it can be used to build collective protection areas, entry control chicanes and guard posts, and has also been deployed very effectively by the US military as flood barriers.